Mark I. Singer is the Leonard W. Mayo Professor in Family and Child Welfare, deputy director of the Begun Center and professor of psychiatry at School of Medicine. He has over 45 years of experience in the field of social services, including directing two adolescent psychiatric units. He has served as a consultant or advisor to the U.S. Department of Defense, the American Medical Association, the National Mental Health Association, and was a trustee of the Cuyahoga County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board.
Singer has lectured nationally and internationally on issues related to drug addiction, mental illness and violence exposure, and has done workshops/presentations for law enforcement, corrections, school safety personnel, teachers and social workers. He is currently an investigator in a grant from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services on substance use disorders and coexisting health/mental health disorders.
Singer also teaches in the Cleveland Police Academy and works with law enforcement to establish linkages between police officers and social services. He is currently a member of the Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department and has regularly accompanied officers on patrol. In addition to the effects of exposure to violence, his research examines police legitimacy and police officers as first social responders.
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Why I Teach
I enjoy sharing my passion for the profession of social work and the numerous experiences I've had. There are few things more gratifying to me than seeing students engaged in class interactions, learning new concepts and enjoying the experience. Learning can be fun!
Why I Chose This Profession
My undergraduate degree was in philosophy. As I checked available employment, there were no positions for philosophers. I began working with adolescents in Brooklyn, NY, and then in the Cleveland area at Bellefaire JCB as a child care worker. I realized I wanted to be of help to adolescents, and I have dedicated much of my career to this ambition.